Snapshots
by dixiekittyva
Summary: Just a bunch of one-shots of Reagan moments so memorable you (and they) will need a camera.


Danny Reagan walked down the hallway toward his four month old niece's nursery. He heard his brother's voice before he saw him. Jamie was walking back and forth across the room lightly bouncing his infant daughter, Josefina. What caught Danny's interest was that his brother was singing to her as he bounced her.

Jamie's back was to him, so he simply leaned against the doorway into the nursery to enjoy the scene in front him, but not before pulling out his cell phone to record it, of course. He made a mental note to forward the video to all the family later; he knew Erin would flip over this. Jamie was singing an oldie that Danny, and the rest of the Reagan kids, knew all too well.

 _Your mother and your father,  
Won't like it if I stay here too long.  
One kiss and we'll part, then I'll be going  
You know I hate to go._

Right as he was rounding the final chorus his voice dropped a few octaves and Danny had to stop himself from laughing. But that didn't stop his brother. He could hear the laughter in Jamie's voice as he leaned forward singing the final words into his daughter's belly, blowing a raspberry into it once he finished.

 _Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do_

 _Goodnite, sweetheart, well it's time to go,_  
 _(Do-do-do-do-do)_  
 _Goodnite, sweetheart, well it's time to go,_  
 _(Ba-do ba-do)_  
 _I hate to leave you, but I really must say,_  
 _Goodnite, sweetheart, goodnite._

Once the song was over Danny put his phone away just before Jamie turned around and saw his brother's amused face."Oh, hey Uncle Danny" he said in a baby-ish voice, waving his daughter's arm in greeting. Danny pushed off the doorway and made his way to his niece. Jamie handed her over with a huge smile on his face. "Now, there's the most beautiful baby in all of New York." Danny crooned before placing a kiss on top of her head.

He rocked her back and forth in his arms, worried she might cry, she was a daddy's girl after-all. When she didn't fuss and appeared completely content in her uncle's arms, Danny looked back up at Jamie who was almost glowing with happiness. "Fatherhood looks good on you." He almost called him 'kid', but his baby brother definitely wasn't a kid anymore. The small bundle in his arms was proof enough of that. Jamie shrugged and sat down on the window seat. "Well, Joey sure makes it seem easy. I don't remember Nicky or the boys being this painless."

Danny laughed and made funny faces at his niece. "Just wait." Is all he said to his brother without looking at him, keeping his attention on Josefina. "He'll see. Oh, yes Daddy will, won't he JoJo? We'll make sure of that." He tickled his niece's cheek, chuckling at how she scrunched up.

After a few more minutes of adoring the now sleeping baby in his arms, Danny looked back to his brother. "Ya know, I was surprised you remembered it after all these years." Jamie stood up and leaned over his brother's shoulder, looking down at his sleeping daughter. "Honestly, I didn't at first. That first week home I was a nervous wreck. I'd planned and researched everything and then here she was." He kissed the top of her head and then returned to his seat in the window.

"Eddie was a natural from the start, I swear. I tried to pull my weight, but she was on top of everything. Then one night a week or two in I told her to get some rest; that I'd get the next shift. She'd already pumped and she was totally exhausted, so of course she jumped on it. So, when it was time for the bottle we were good… She drank more than enough, she burped and we were in the homestretch. Then the diaper change, everything good. Then came the tears. Talking to her didn't help, bouncing didn't work and I was too tired to try the driving trick. I was all ready to sing a lullaby… Then realized I don't know any."

Danny shook his head, trying his best to contain his laughter. This angel took after her mother, once she's out its best not to wake her if you know what's good for you. He sat down in the rocking chair in the corner and looked to his brother to continue.

"I figured I'd look something up, but I left my cell in the bedroom charging, so that was a no-go. Thankfully I had the cordless so I called…" Danny cut in before he could finish. "Oh, come on, Erin couldn't think of any lullabies? I don't believe that." He shook his head again, glancing back down at the baby. "Auntie Erin has to remember at least one, right munchkin?" He started to rock the chair, making sure Joey stayed asleep.

Jamie chuckled and continued his story. "Nope, I didn't even think of calling her. I called the first person I could think of, Dad." Now this time Danny couldn't hold back his amusement and let a laugh or two slip. "Dad? Really?"

Jamie rolled his eyes and went on. "Yeah, Dad. I figured after the four of us and three grandkids, he must remember something." Danny just raised a skeptical eyebrow at his brother and waited. "Yeah, yeah… He didn't know any either. He just said to remember what he did. I didn't know what he meant at first, I mean I was the youngest so I didn't get to see it in action with anyone else like you guys did. But he refreshed my memory." Danny nodded, knowing what was next.

"I guess after they had you he was pretty much in the same spot, didn't know not a single one so he winged it with any doo-wop he could think of and apparently it worked like a charm. From what he said, that one worked the best." Jamie leaned back over toward his brother again, needing another glimpse of his sweet baby.

Danny continued to slowly rock his niece as he thought back to his first bout with fatherhood. "You bet your ass it works. It sure saved my ass the first time I was left alone with Jack. Thankfully, I was around to witness its magic with you guys. Even with Sean, I tried the standard songs all the children's' books had, but that one and a couple other oldies still seemed to work best."

Danny stood up and Jamie followed, so he turned and gave the little angel back to her father. Once she was safe and sound in her Daddy's arms again she let out a satisfied sigh. "I'm just glad I remembered the words. It'd been so long I wasn't sure. But once I got to the ' _Do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do-do'_ part I swear she laughed. Eddie says it was just gas or something, but I know my girl. After that she went right to sleep. At that point I knew it was gold."

Danny laughed again, clapping his brother on the back. "It probably was gas, but you're right, it is gold." He leaned in and kissed Joey on the top of her head again before raising back up much more slowly. "Well, kid, I gotta head on out. I promised Sean we'd look though college websites tonight and if I'm late he'll order pineapple on the pizza again." He shuddered and attempted one last look as Jamie put Joey in her crib.

Both men stood by the crib for a few more moments, watching her sleep. "College already? It seems like only last week he was this size." Jamie stepped back and turned to give Danny a hug. "Same here. I don't know where the time went." He knew his brother meant Sean, but he also remembered when the man beside him was that small. He pulled back and looked Jamie in the eye. "Take care of my niece." Jamie nodded in agreement before heading toward the dresser with the changing pad on it, there was still a balled up diaper from her last change and an open bottle of powder that needed to be put away.

As Danny got to the door he turned back to Jamie. His baby brother truly was all grown up. "Hey, kid… You're doing good. I'm proud of you." Jamie smiled; the praise meant more than his brother could possibly know. "Thanks, Danny. From you… That means a lot."

The brothers smiled at each other one last time and then Danny was off to see his not-so-little baby boy at home.


End file.
